The Washington critic., 1887-11-05
ODDS AND ENDS.
a BIT OF History.


Governor Louis Kossuth, wife, three
children, teacher and secretary--Hun-
garian rcfugees-neeing from the Aus
trian Government, were received on
board the U. s. s. Mississippi as guests
ofi,he United States, September 10, 1851,
accompanied by one general, four
colonies, three lieutenant colonies, four
majors. ten captains, three lieutenauts,
one chaplain, one surgeon, seven
soldiers, eight wives, one mother.lu.
law, nine children and one servant-ln
all sixty persons. That the party might
be properly entertained, Captain j. @.
Long, commanding the vessel, appoint
ed, by order, Assistant Surgeon James
Hamilton caterer to the mess, consist.
Ing Of the officers of the vessel, Kos.
suth and his party.
Hamilton expended about S1j,-
900 for supplies of various kinds,
including limited supply Of wines and
liquors, for the trip home. The vouch
ers for the expenditures he transferred
to Purser George II. Richie, and upon
settlement of Ritchie's account &c.
232.70 was suspended, for explanation.
The matter was referred to the Secre
tary of the Navy, Hon. VIM. A. Ora.
ham Of North Carolina, who, upon
proper explanation, recommended that
the amount suspended be allowed to the
credit of the assistant surgeon. Instead
of the clerk, who should have settled
the account giving Hamilton credit for
the amount, the vouchers were sent TO
Ritchie's account, and Hamilton re.
mained charged with the amount from
June 80, 1852, until August 10, 1887,
when In settling old accounts that have
remained open on the books for years,
the matter was called up aud settled ,as 1t
should have been at the time. Iu 1870
Hamilton was reported as defaulter,
upon list made up In the Treasury
Department for political purposes.
Hamilton died September @, 1854. II
the address of his nearest relatives was
known they would be advised that
Lieutenant James Hamilton was not a
defaulter, but on the contrary bis &C
counts are balanced.
~.
Our Navy.
In 1178, the American Navy con.
sisted of the Hancock, 32 guns; Ran.
dolph, 32; Raleigh, 32; Washington
32; Warren, 39; Virginia, 2s; Trum.
bull, 90; Effingham. 2s; Congress, as
Providence, 2s; Alfred, "a; Boston, "a
Delaware, "a; Montgomery, "a; Re
fusal, 10; Lexington, IA; Cabot, 10
Andrea Doria, IA; Sachem, 10; Inde
pendence, 10; Argo, 10; Resistance. 10
Hamden, ID; Fly, .; Wasp. 8; Hornet,
8; Mosquito, 4. To-day the American
Navy consists of lot Of as good Off
GERS as any navy In the world can boast
Of, and one steam, steel hull, un
armored. tirst-rate vessel, the Chicago
partially protected cruiser, bark
Tigged, twin screw, IA guns. 4, 800 tons
now preparing for sea at New York
the Charleston, protected, twin screw
building at San Francisco; the Bal
Charleston, building at Philadelphia
the Atlanta, partially protected cruiser
the Puritan, double turret monitor
awaiting completion at the League
Island Navy Yard; the Amphitrite
double turret monitor, awaiting com
pletion, Wilmington. Del. the Milan
tonomah, Monadnock and Terror, twir
monitors to the Amphitrite, awaiting
completion respectively at the New
York Navy Yard, Mare Islant
lCal.) Navy. Yard, and the League
Island (Philadelphia Navy. Yard
and lot of old, good for.nothing tubs
which cost more for repairs, than thei
original cost, per annum, valuable only
as relics OF the unhappy strife o
twenty odd years ago. Had 1t not beel
for the change of Administration, W
would not have had these.